


Her Best Man Is A Looker

by IKnowWhoYouAre_Damianos



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School Teachers, Alternate Universe - No Exy, Best Man AU, Bickering, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, I don't really know what this is, Kevin is still a history nerd, M/M, Make Renison official, Texting, Wedding shopping, kind of, literature teacher!Andrew Minyard, math teacher!Neil Josten
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:22:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24652261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IKnowWhoYouAre_Damianos/pseuds/IKnowWhoYouAre_Damianos
Summary: What can one do if their best friend asks them to be their best man?Definitely not decline.Too bad when her fiancée's best man is a goddamn looker.
Relationships: Allison Reynolds/Renee Walker (All For The Game), Kevin Day/Andrew Minyard (past), Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Comments: 9
Kudos: 128
Collections: AFTG Exchange Spring 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Wishopenastar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wishopenastar/gifts).



> This was kind of messy. I wrote it in 3 days while juggling tons of work, mental health issues, normal health issues and exhaustion, but I still hope this is what the wonderful girl deserves <3 I tried to make the most out of your prompts so I combined a few <3  
> Happy Spring <3

What can one do if their best friend asks them to be their best man? 

Definitely not decline.

Andrew didn’t know why Renee had asked  _ him _ in the first place. It wasn’t like Andrew was a wedding person — or even a relationship person, on closer consideration.

His last “relationship” held for three months and eight days. That’s how long Andrew had stood Kevin’s attitude before they both agreed on being better roommates than boyfriends, and had gone back to being nothing but friends and college roommates. 

That was six years ago. 

But Renee was Andrew’s best friend, and obviously that uptown girl turned outlaw chick, Allison Reynolds — not that she’d ever been to jail, but she never failed to mention how badass she was by standing up against her parents’ conservative notions  _ bla bla _ — made her happy, so who was he to judge.

That’s how he ended up sitting in a tailor shop at ass o’clock in the morning on a Saturday. Yes, 10am counted as ass o’clock in Andrew’s universe, even as a high school teacher. 

He was seated in the shop`s oversized leather sofa, his second double espresso-hot chocolate-caramel concoction in hand and eyes fixed onto the changing room. There was a mirror on the back of the door and he could see that his hair was slightly askew and his black-framed, oversized glasses, did nothing to hide his puffy face. Because everyone needed to marry in spring, he was struggling from another allergic bout, and he’d sneezed at least a hundred times. Putting in contacts hadn’t even been an option. Last but not least, he noticed that his black shirt was full of white cat hair, because that menace of a cat refused to sleep in its basket.

In sum, he looked like shit. 

And of fucking course Allison had to walk in just then, her best man in tow being a goddamn looker. 

“Minion,” Allison chirped, dragging the red-haired with outrageous blue eyes along to seat him next to Andrew on the sofa.

“Ever call me that again and you won’t live to see your wedding, sweetheart,” Andrew bit back, taking a big sip of the sugar liquid that burned his throat.

“Whatever,” she laughed and waved him off. “This is Neil. Neil, this is Minio— Min _ yard _ .”

“Hey, Minion,” Neil mocked, flashing Andrew the most  beautiful  annoying grin. 

Andrew loved Renee, he really did, in the best palsy-walsy way, but right now, he could strangle her. 

“Still Minyard to you,” Andrew grit out, downing the rest of his coffee and shivering a bit at the hideous friable dregs flooding his mouth.

“I see, you two get along just fine. I’ll let you to yourselves now,” Allison whispered and winked obnoxiously before she headed over to Renee’s cabin to kiss her hello, and then disappear into the cabin next door.

Andrew gave Neil a lazy once-over. His black skinny jeans accentuated his muscular thighs, the white cashmere sweater making his tan skin more prominent. He wore a charcoal knitted jacket to make his blue eyes stand out, thrown over like he’d just grabbed it to crawl out of bed and answer the door, but clearly used intentionally. His copper curls fell into his eyes so he had to stroke them back every once in a while. A light, almost invisible makeup covered his edgy yet soft face.

Even with a strong will, Andrew couldn’t deny Neil was gorgeous. And the worst thing was: he  _ knew  _ him and had to see his obnoxious face almost every single day.

Luckily, before Andrew’s mind could stray further, Renee stepped out of the cabin in another white dress with tattoo effect, her braided, pastel rainbow-colored hair adorned with a bridal flower comb.

Her smile was shy, but telling. She loved it and Andrew could tell by the crinkles around her eyes and her slightly blushed cheeks. 

Andrew knew he was supposed to say something, that’s why he’d been dragged along he guessed, so he nodded and gave his best attempt at a smile.

“Do you like it?” Renee asked, stepping in front of the big mirror where the assistant beamed at her in anticipation.

“Since it’s not me standing at an altar in a few weeks marrying the blonde menace, it’s your decision to make,” Andrew scoffed, and then added in his softest voice, which certainly still sounded rather apathetic than kind, “but I really like it. I’m sure she can’t cop out once she sees you in this.”

Renee’s smile turned into a grin. Andrew must have said the right thing, confirmed by the assistant’s stupid facial expression. SOLD!

Andrew watched Renee walk back into the cabin, chattering with the tailor about details and payment. His thoughts only got back to Neil when suddenly Allison stood in front of them dressed to the nines in a white dress with delicate lace, a long train tagging along. 

Andrew would have said it was too much, too loud, too cliche and drama, but Neil seemed to like it, judging by the small smile on his full, rose lips.

“Am I hot or am I hot?” Allison asked with a wink, twirling around so every fold of her dress billowed out.

“It’s fine,” Neil said, but something in his voice sounded smug. 

“We said ‘fine’ is a cursed word, right? We said for every ‘fine’ you’ll owe me a nice dinner night, didn’t we? So you better have your credit card and a reservation once I’m out of the cabin, Josten.” 

“Fine,” Neil lilted, bearing his perfect white teeth. Andrew really should stop staring.

Allison laughed and made a little leap as she walked back into the cabin.

“What a courtier,” Andrew remarked, and the idiot he was, took a sip from his empty cup. 

“Takes one to know one, huh?” Neil bit back, but somehow it didn’t sound snappy enough to take it as an offence. “Jealous? The bin is over there by the way,” Neil tacked on and got up, blowing his stupid copper curls out of his face.

If Neil was just as involved in all the wedding planning, Andrew would be dead beat once Allison and Renee tied the knot.

***

“Minyard? I mean who picks Minyard for their best man?” Neil snickered, popping a strawberry into his mouth.

Renee and Allison sat across from him, taking turns at pilfering dessert from their shared plate. 

Neil didn’t really understand what all the fuss was about, but he had long learned through Dan and Matt and Allison and Renee that having a partner had its amenities. Not that he ever thought about getting married, or even having a partner to begin with, but he could see that the mutual trust and a strong bond was something reassuring.

Renee’s usually soft eyes had an edginess to them when they met Neil’s.

“I know you all think Andrew is soulless. You should get to know him first though, don’t you think?”

Renee’s voice never rose like others’ did when anger or offence were in the equation, but Neil knew Andrew was a soft spot to better not touch. 

He knew that Renee had formed a unique bond with Andrew in their teenage years, which only they understood. It was something about an overlapping destiny and a similar past. 

Allison and Neil had been friends for years, so he thought Renee and Andrew had something similar, even though it was hard to imagine Andrew bedding his head into Renee’s lap and relishing her hands raking through his hair.

“I never said he’s soulless, but you have to admit that he’s not exactly one for big, merry weddings.”

“Says the one who’s never been in a relationship,” Allison scoffed, playing with Renee’s engagement ring. “Pot calling the kettle black…”

Neil’s teeth scraped over his lower lip over and over again as he digested Allison’s remark. She was right, of course she was, and it had always been okay for Neil to be the only one in the group to never having been in a relationship, but hearing it so clearly was—

“Honey? Come on, I didn’t mean it like that.” Allison’s voice startled him out of his stupor, her warm smile bearing too much pity for Neil’s liking, but he knew she meant well.

“You know that we would never question your sexuality or make fun of it, right Neil?” Renee addressed him although it definitely didn’t sound like a question.

He knew his friends and every single one tried to protect him, had tried ever since they’d known him, so he just smiled and nodded.

“So, what now?” Neil asked, gulping down the last bitter dregs of his non-alcoholic beer.

“Next is organizing the location decoration, flower arrangements, the photographer instruction and,” Allison paused mimicking a drum roll, “cake tasting. And guess who’s going to do all of this?”

“Oh come on,” Neil whined, pulling his lips into a pout. “Let me guess, me and Andrew?”

“Ding, ding, ding. 100 points to the redhead,” Allison chimed, fist bumping Renee.

Neil wondered why he’d chosen friends over solitude all those years ago.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Neil in bold.

**+1 803-352-2077**

online

**9:52 PM: Hey**

9:55 PM: Bye

**9:55 PM: Is that your way of flirting, because if so it’s not surprising that you’re single.**

10:23 PM: Is that your last sad attempt at finding a hookup because your texting is too bad for Grindr?

 **...writing**

**…writing**

10:27 PM: Lemme guess. You’re googling what Grindr is.

**10:29 PM: Obviously something you’re quite acquainted with…**

10.35 PM: _Quite acquainted_. Did you have a Thesaurus for breakfast, Josten. You’re teaching math and PE. Shouldn’t sophisticated remarks come from an English literature teacher?

**10:38 PM: Very subtle. Do you know one?**

10:39 PM: I’m sure you and I know the same, with the exception that he’s sleeping in my bed every night.

**…writing**

**…writing**

10:57 PM: What is it, Josten. 

**10:59 PM: Has nobody taught you to use question marks or did your faculty just hand out degrees for free?**

11:03 PM: Are you sure the FBI hasn’t offered you a job yet? You seem to be the kind of bright spark they are looking for.

11:05 PM: **Unfortunately, the FBI wouldn’t ever offer me a job because sons of mob bosses usually don’t get to work in federal law enforcement.**

11:07 PM: Too bad. Can you finish your sob story now and fucking finally ask what you want from me around midnight.

11:12 PM: **Did Renee text you? Time and Location?**

11:14 PM: I know that mathematicians like to not go into detail, but be so kind to be more specific for once, Josten. For the wedding or their awful idea of us going to visit the location tomorrow?

11:15 PM: **:-) Andrew Minyard can use question marks.** **The latter. 9am at the venue?**

11:23 PM: **Andrew?**

11:45 PM: **Okay. Guess I’ll be waiting at the front gate then.**

***

The venue screamed Allison Reynolds. 

A lawn as big as a whole city block engulfed the pristine white mansion, making it stand out like an island in the middle of the ocean. The backyard held a small lake with boats, the water glistening as the morning sun hit its surface. A white gazebo was covered in climbing roses, dots of pink and white seeking their way through the holes in the metal construction. 

As much as Renee was the opposite of Allison, she would love it. That’s all that was important. 

Next, the guide led Andrew and Neil through the mansion. 

“Could you imagine filling all that space with your own things?” 

Oh, well. He’d almost forgotten that the red-haired menace was still by his side.

“Josten, not everyone is living a pathetic life like yours,” Andrew slurred, sipping on his third chocolate chip latte.

“My uncle’s mansion is twice as big, but even as a teenager I couldn’t fill out all the space on my floor,” Neil whispered, eyes grazing the walls and furniture like a child marveling at attractions in a theme park. 

“What a sad life.”

Andrew had to think about all the rooms he’d had to share in the foster system before Bee had taken him in at the age of twelve. His then-foster-brother had been arrested for child abuse and luckily, Betsy Dobson, therapist and philanthropist, had given him a chance. She had done everything she could to make Andrew feel at home and comfortable, but owning a whole floor was way over her pay grade. Yet, never had a small room felt better than his room at Betsy’s where he’s still staying the night in when evenings get too late.

“So, are there any questions?” the guide asked, coming to an abrupt halt so Neil ran almost into her. Andrew’s hand was at Neil’s shirt in a second, keeping him from tumbling into botox lady. 

“I— There needs to be more decoration in the house, I guess,” Neil said, his brows drawing together as if his mouth had been faster than his brain. His cheeks were tinged red, slowly starting to match the color of his auburn curls.

“Sure. Usually, we don’t have the wedding decoration up all year. People use the mansion for several occasions like birthdays or even funeral feasts. Wedding decoration and funerals often don’t go together, if you know what I mean,” she explained, her voice being distorted by the smirk forced onto her taut face.

“That’s what the decoration appointment is for,” Andrew muttered, only now realizing that his hand was still fisted into the back of Neil’s shirt. His hand drew back immediately, as if he’d been touching glowing embers.

“Oh, I’m sure your… friend? Partner? Whatever. I’m sure he’ll agree, organizing a wedding is stressful. One can easily forget such details, especially by the side of such an attractive man,” she cooed, giving Andrew a wink. He would have to kill Renee for that. Where had his gay vibes gone? Was she that blind?

“Why would he be my partner?” was all Neil asked after a moment of awkward silence, tilting his head in interest.

“Well, it wasn’t meant to come across as an insult,” the guide backtracked, giving Andrew a helpless glance. Maybe hanging out with Neil wouldn’t be the worst.

“I didn’t take it for one,” Neil murmured, pushing his curls out of his face. “But if you knew him, you wouldn’t assume it again,” Neil huffed, and took the chance to step back into the park.

“I’m sorry,” the guide said, shrugging. 

Andrew was on Neil’s heels in a second, although something strange settled in his stomach.

***

Seeing Andrew every single day in school was strange, especially since they didn’t exchange a single word whenever they ran into each other in the hallways or teacher’s lounge. 

Sometimes Neil’s back tingled. Neil had an inkling that Andrew’s prying eyes were the reason behind the sensation. On Wednesday, Neil had dared a glance over his shoulder and found evidence when Andrew’s honey eyes locked with his for no longer than a second.

So far, working together with Andrew to organize their friends’ most important day had gone smoothly. At least they hadn’t killed each other over the last weeks. 

On Neil’s bullet lists were several check marks behind the most important points. 

The venue was just as beautiful as Allison had described it. Neil and Andrew had agreed on a set of wildflowers for the tables and the brides’ wedding bouquets. 

That one hadn’t gone so smoothly at first, with Neil and Andrew arguing over an hour in the middle of the small downtown flower shop. The fact that Andrew’s cousin Nicky who owned the shop cut in several times to share his own opinion didn’t exactly make for a quicker decision. 

Allison wanted roses. Renee obviously wanted carnations. Now, they would get roses and carnations combined with wildflowers. By the time they had stepped out of the flower shop, both Neil and Andrew considered it an okay decision.

Neil didn’t dislike Andrew. He just didn’t like his fake apathy. 

Neil hadn’t missed the little spark in Andrew’s eyes when Renee found the right dress. The way his eyes lit up whenever they passed a pastry shop with gaudy cupcakes and the smell of hot chocolate sneaking out of the door when someone stepped out. Just yesterday on their balloon shopping spree, Andrew had paid for a young boy’s ice cream at the parlor because he was lacking a dollar. 

Renee had said ‘I know you all think Andrew is soulless.’ Andrew was the furthest from soulless, if one asked Neil. That’s why he didn’t get Andrew’s demeanor. 

The thought continued nagging him through the first four hours of math, adding to his forming headache. He would never understand how one could fail at some simple rule of three, but obviously that was Billy’s superpower.

Before his last PE class, Neil trudged into the teachers’ lounge, nodding at Kevin who was back at his book about Alexander the Great within a second. And then, there he was. Matt. A knight in shining armour. 

“Neil, buddy,” Matt chirped and pulled Neil in for a tight hug, pushing a cup of coffee into his hand once he released him. “How are you, my best buddy of all buddies.”

“Fine?”

Wrinkles formed on Matt’s forehead as he put a hand on Neil’s. “Are you sick? Feverish? What is it?”

Neil shook his head, slumping against Matt’s unwavering build. “I’m just tired. Billy. Again, And the whole wedding thing.”

“It’s Andrew, isn’t it,” Matt rather constituted than asked, his eyes narrowing down and darting to the right corner where Andrew was reading in an armchair. 

“What? Why would it be Andrew?” Neil asked as the throbbing in his head increased. 

Sure, Andrew wasn’t easy, but he also wasn’t the monster everybody saw in him. He could be an asshole at times, but who wasn’t in a bad mood occasionally? 

“He’s helping you, isn’t he? Well, I’d take a headache from that, too,” Matt huffed, spilling coffee onto his shirt with his obviously forgotten coffee cup. “Shit! I gotta go, buddy. Gardening with the little ones,” he whispered, exiting the lounge with the biggest grin on his face. If it weren’t for the two legs and arms and his ability to speak, Neil would bet Matt was a puppy.

Neil sipped his coffee, watching Andrew’s eyes flit over the pages. He was wearing his glasses, which most likely meant that his too-puffy eyes couldn’t take the contacts today. The package of tissues on the desk next to him supported Neil’s assumption. 

In contrast to his stance around people, Andrew seemed extremely relaxed. One leg dangled over the armrest, his head nestled into the neck cushion. Neil had started to see this side of Andrew more often lately when they were eating out with Renee and Allison or running errands together.

Neil thought of his head in Allison’s lap, her fingernails scratching over his scalp. All of his friends were quite physical, giving hugs and kisses just as willingly as their time and attention when he needed them. Neil wondered if Andrew received such a kind of love from someone, but then again, it was hard to imagine. Not because he wouldn’t deserve it, but rather because Andrew barely let anyone close.

Luckily, PE was way easier to teach than math. Neil had set up a couple of volleyball fields and sent the class off to play, giving some advice here and there, but all in all, PE was rather calming than exhausting.

When he stepped out of the school building, the sun stood high in the sky, an unyielding fireball making him break a sweat in a second. He shouldered his duffel bag and rounded the corner where he ran straight into a familiar blond.

Neil doubled over immediately, a scorching pain flaring up as Andrew’s elbow slammed into his ribs. 

“Fucking freak!” Neil grit out, hissing and wheezing as he fought a breath in. 

“Use your eyes, Josten,” Andrew said flatly, taking another drag on his cigarette, likely to stifle the grin forming on his face. 

“Sure, asshole. Are you always trying to mutilate people that run into you by accident?”

“No. I save that for you.”

If Neil didn’t know it better, he would say Andrew smiled for a split-second. 

“I hate you,” Neil muttered, stretching out to check if anything was broken.

“That’s mutual then. Can we go, honey?” Andrew deadpanned, picking up Neil’s duffel from the ground, and carried it over to his flashy Maserati. 

“Sorry, sweety, why again should I get into that hideous thing?”

Andrew mocked a grin, baring his teeth like a rabid dog. “Photographer, Shmoopie.”

“Shmoopie? Is that what Kevin called you? That’s awful,” Neil said, feigning vomiting. 

“No, he called me Honey Pot, if you’re so eager to know. Now get your jock ass into that seat or walk the 30 miles.”

Neil climbed into the car, and demonstratively turned his head to the window to sulk. 

Ten minutes into the drive, Andrew spoke up, asking, “So, which poor soul will have to endure your pouting persona at the wedding?”

“My uncle, maybe,” Neil answered and shrugged, still secretly opting for Kevin to say yes. Not because he really wanted to endure a whole night of Kevin’s monologues, but rather because he didn’t really want to be the only one without a plus-one. Or maybe he didn’t want to grant Andrew the victory. Telling Andrew about Kevin maybe wasn’t the best idea with their history, though. “Yours?”

“I still have to ask him,” Andrew said and mimicked Neil’s shrug, eyes never straying from the street.

“Is it a teacher?” 

“God, I don’t deserve this,” Andrew drawled, sighing. “You could say that.”

Neil mentally went through the teaching staff but couldn’t come up with anyone who was either attractive or gay, let alone both. 

“Good luck, then,” was all Neil could come up with, leaning his head against the headrest.

After forty minutes and several speed limit violations later, the Maserati screeched to a halt in front of a skyscraper. 

The photography studio was what Dan and Matt would call Hipster-esque, with bulbs glowing in the dim room and the mix of furniture creating something that reminded him of one of Allison’s industrial design catalogues.

Neil let Andrew explain what they were looking for, closing his eyes while listening to the steady yet soft voice uttering along. 

It was only after a gentle nudge from Andrew that Neil realized he had passed out around 45 minutes ago.

“Time to leave, Sleeping Beauty,” Andrew said and got up, holding out his hand to pull Neil out of the armchair.

Usually, Neil wouldn’t nap easily in a foreign place, but something about Andrew made him sure he was safe, so he didn’t even fight it when his eyes got heavy again in the car. 

***

**Menace #2 (+1 803-352-2077)**

online

11:04 PM: **Thank you.**

11:05 PM: What for? A broken rib?

11:05 PM: **For the drive home.**

11:05 PM: **And letting me sleep. I barely fall asleep outside my apartment nowadays.**

11:06 PM: Really sure that I’m so trustworthy?

**writing…**

**writing…**

11:08 PM: **:-)**

11:10 PM: Go to bed, Neil. Don’t you have an 8:30 am class?

11:12 PM: **Learned my schedule? ;-)**

11:13 PM: You ever use that again and we’re done. No bestman for Allison.

11:14 PM: **Somehow you don’t seem like a threat at all. :-)**

11:18 PM: **Today wasn’t the worst, you know?**

11:20 PM: Are you drunk? Delirious?

11:22 PM: **I just think I’m beginning to not hate you.**

11:24 PM: Well, I hate enough for both of us. Sleep.

11:25 PM: **Goodnight, Andrew.**

01:36 AM: Goodnight, Neil.


End file.
